"Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Melissa Gorga was just as shocked as anyone to find out an earthquake struck the Northeast April 5. But she had a unique explanation for it at the time.
The 45-year-old told "Entertainment Tonight" in an interview that she was working out alone in her basement when the seismic episode physically shook her house, saying it sounded like "it was being invaded."
“I have weights in my hands, and I was like, ‘What is happening?’ It sounded like my roof was shaking, the floor was shaking, and it really did sound like a stampede, like people were running, running, running. And I just froze ‘cause I get nervous,” she told the outlet.
Even more cause for concern, Gorga said she subsequently received a notification that her front door was open.
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The reality star, however, said she initially thought the natural disaster was a supernatural event.
“I was freaking out a little bit... and as I’m walking back down my basement steps to finish my workout, I’m like, ‘Wow! Like, I’ve never experienced a ghost before, like, maybe that was a ghost,’” she told "ET."
“I am screaming. I’m running up the stairs. I have 911 ready to push. So I dialed it on my phone,” she continued.
Gorga said she then started getting messaged from her employees, who recounted similar experiences, which led her to realize the event had been an earthquake, rather than a ghost.
On Instagram, Gorga shared security footage from her home during the earthquake, writing, “EARTHQUAKE in NJ! Omg!!”
She added, “I was freaking out! That was a first!”
Gorga’s daughter, Antonia, seemed to find the moment rather funny, commenting, “I’m laughing at the thought of your reaction right now,” with several laughing emoji.
The USGS measured Friday's earthquake as a 4.8 temblor with an epicenter near Lebanon, New Jersey. The quake hit just before 10:30 a.m. ET.
The earthquake was the strongest recorded in the Northeast region in more than a decade, according to the USGS.
In Newark, New Jersey, quake-related structural damage at several addresses led to the evacuation of 25 adults and three children.
Mayor Eric Adams said Friday there were no reports of major damage or injuries in New York after the earthquake.
There were no immediate reports of fatalities.
This article first appeared on TODAY.com. Read more from TODAY:
